Chains Made of Love
by Miko Akako
Summary: He is aware of the danger in resting so close to human dwellings, but the nearest is miles away and this oasis of his is tucked far from their roads, so he lets down his guard for just a few minutes. Read T/W.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Written for a prompt on the GAM. This is the first of five parts.

TRIGGER/WARNINGS: Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

FULL PROMPT (**Contains spoilers for the story**): Kurt is a Swan Maiden who decides to bathe in what he believes to be an isolated spring without his attendants. Blaine is a young prince who stumbles upon him and immediately falls in love with the beautiful creature. Knowing the nature of swan maidens he steals Kurt's robes and hides them in a place they will never be found. Kurt can't return home without the robes and begs Blaine to return them, but he refuses. Blaine forces Kurt to marry him, threatening to destroy the robes if he does not. He truly does love Kurt, and tries to be as understanding and gentle with him as he can be.

But nothing will chance the fact that Kurt is an unwilling spouse, a creature who does not belong with mortals, and that what Blaine considers making love is actually rape. They are together many years, and perhaps they even have a few children. Blaine believes that Kurt loves him now, and shows him the spot where he hid the robes as a sign of his trust. Kurt immediately snatches them away and flies him, not even hesitating for a second.

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><p>Chains Made of Love<p>

Chapter 1

Kurt doesn't realize the moment it happens. The moon is reflecting off the lake and the water lapping over his bare feet combined with the feel of soft sand under his skin is so exquisite he finds himself lost in the beauty of the moment. He sings softly, voice clear and strong despite the volume. He is aware of the danger in resting so close to human dwellings, but the nearest is miles away and this oasis of his is tucked far from their roads, so he lets down his guard for just a few minutes.

He loves his voice – it is his only vanity –so he notices immediately when it starts to waver. He's singing his favorite song, a lullaby his mother sung before she died. It is familiar enough that a single sharp note jars him and he stops in the middle of a word. His hand rises to his mouth as if expecting to find something obstructing it.

"Please don't stop." There is a roughness in the voice, something felt more than heard that identifies the speaker as human even before Kurt's eyes can pick out his shape in the dark. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Kurt's eyes widen as he scrambles to his feet, never letting the human out of his sight. The man walks forwards, hands open with his palms facing Kurt in an offering that has no meaning to Kurt. The human's eyes flit along his naked, a strange red tinge coloring the small amount of skin not covered by fabric and a darkness clouding his eyes. "I…ah…I didn't realize you were…would you like to cover up?"

Kurt tilts his head to the side, still unsure of what he should do. Every nerve in his body is telling him to run, but he cannot go anywhere without his robe. The man turns around and Kurt's eyes rake the ground, searching desperately for what he knows he will not find. His robe is gone; spirited away while he was stupid enough to think himself safe. Its absence is a physical pain now that he is focused on it, and he falls to the ground keening his loss. He forgets he wasn't alone until the human is at his side.

"What's wrong?" There is real worry there and Kurt looks up at the human.

"Where is it?" Kurt asks. "Where did you put it?"

"Put what? I don't understand." The human looks around before his eyes settle back on Kurt. "Tell me what you need and you will have it."

"My robe," Kurt says desperately, his voice breaking off into a moan of agony. Perhaps this human is innocent. Maybe the stories have exaggerated human wickedness. It is hard to read human expressions, but the man seems so sincere and there is a beauty in his face that hints at an origin not fully human. So Kurt trusts him. "I cannot leave without my robe. I am…"

"A swan maiden. I though they – you – were just a story." The human's eyes widen and he seems to pick up on the urgency. "If someone has taken your robe then it is not safe for you to stay here. Do you know who took it? Where it is?"

"No. Please, help me find it." Kurt hates that he was pleading to anyone, let alone a human, but he feels as if he is dying. Every movement in this body suddenly feels labored; painfully awkward and absolutely unbearable.

"Of course I will help you," the human says, seemingly unaware of Kurt's agony. "But what can I call you?"

Kurt looks up at him, forcing his breathing to steady. This human will help him, and everything will be okay. He will not be stuck forever in this form, as the stories say will happen if a human steals his robe. "Kurt."

"Kurt." His name sounds ugly on the human's lips, and he wishes desperately that he had lied. If he could, he would take the moment back; recall his name from even being heard by a human. It was dirty now, even if this human was not evil. "You can borrow my cloak for now. You can't walk into a town without clothing."

It is so unlike his robe, though the way it twirls when he wraps it around himself is similar. When his robe settles, feather soft and light as a cloud, he shifts back in his true form. When his one settles, it scratches his skin and anchors him to the ground. He shifts it, trying to arrange it so as little of it touched him as possible. When he finishes he looks back up at the human who is gazing at him with a strange expression on his face, his forehead wrinkled and eyebrows drawn together. Kurt tries and fails to read it, settling on offering a slight tilt of his lips, something he had seen humans do one of the few times he observed them in the past. It works because the human seems to release the tension in his face and shoulders.

"I'm Blaine, by the way. Lord Blaine Anderson. I'll keep you safe Kurt, I promise." And then the human – Blaine – reaches out and _touches _Kurt, grabbing his hand and interlocking their fingers, tugging gently and making Kurt stumble into a walk behind him.

The moment their skin touched Kurt felt a chill pass through his core that had nothing to do with the rough texture of human skin on his own, almost feather soft. The chafing feeling of skin rubbing was no more than a passing discomfort to the flare of agony that echoed and rebounded through the past. He had felt those hands before – not on his human skin, but on his robe, even when he hadn't been aware of it. He cannot make sense of what game Blaine is playing, but what he does know without a hint of doubt is that Blaine is lying, and Kurt may never be free again. His anguish is so deep that he cannot even cry out, following his murderer complacently.


	2. Chapter 2

TRIGGER/WARNINGS(overall): Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

A/N: Thank you for all the alerts/favorites this story has received, and huge thanks to everyone who reviewed. (: I'll most likely be putting up one chapter a day (total of five). (**Slight spoilers)**And before we continue, this is not going to end in Klaine, as I'm sure you can tell if you read the prompt. I am not bashing the pairing at all, I'm new to shipping it (well, I used to ship it and then I hated it, but I've been getting back into it recently), and I do have several Klaine stories up(and more in the works) if you want to read those instead of this. I just wanted to warn ya'll before we got too far in. Anyway, I hope you'll still give it a chance.

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><p>Chains Made of Love<p>

Chapter 2

Kurt spends his days wandering the human's building. The stone structures confuse him, sending him deep below the ground where he cannot hear his breath over the rush in his ears. It doesn't take him long to learn the paths up to the sky. The people he passes, dressed in metal that grates irritatingly and hurts his ears, say it is the battlements on the outer wall of the castle, boasting that no enemy has ever broached their walls.

They ignore Kurt for the most part, though he feels their eyes on him as he walks. He knows they find it odd that he refuses clothing, but he cannot bring himself to confine his body like that. It is only the feel of the cool autumn air that keeps him sane in this body. When he closes his eyes, looking up at the sun and feeling its warmth alternating with the chill from the wind on his skin, he can imagine he is back home, safe in his true form.

Blaine visits him every day, assuring him that he is on the trail of the culprit and Kurt watches him lie without saying a single word. Kurt hasn't spoken a word since that night, but Blaine never seems to expect any different. It is a good day when Blaine does not touch him, but the human seems unable to keep his hands to himself, often reaching out and brushing against Kurt's shoulder or his knee or his cheek.

It is a month before Blaine shows annoyance at Kurt's silence. Kurt is sitting on the battlements, looking at the land stretched out before him and letting the ache in his heart consume him. He recognizes Blaine's footsteps but does not turn to acknowledge him.

"You should really be wearing something, Kurt. You'll catch a cold." It takes all of Kurt's strength not to run from the weight of Blaine's hand on his shoulder. He does not know how it is possible to 'catch a cold,' but he assumes 'cold' is not referring to the shift in weather. "Please, Kurt. I don't want you to get sick." He looks at Kurt, who tries to hold eye contact and not focus on the pain radiating from where Blaine's hand is contacting his skin. "Say something."

"I do not get sick." Kurt is loathe to tell Blaine about his people, but he knows if he says nothing, Blaine will get angry. He needs to keep Blaine happy, so he will return the robe.

"People are talking, Kurt. It's not normal for people to walk around naked." There is an order in there, unspoken, and Kurt bristles at it, his temper rising. It is such a relief to know he is still capable of feeling something other than pain that he forgets his resolve not to speak.

"I am not your kind, Blaine." He feels fire flash in his eyes and takes pleasure when the human leans back. Even among his own people his temper is famous for being explosive, and very few are willing to provoke him. "I am not governed by your ridiculous rules. If my habits bother you, then – "

He does not get a chance to finish, because Blaine's lips are on his, forcing him to silence. He goes limp, passively responding while praying for the assault to end. It is only Blaine's hand, still on his shoulder with fingers digging in, that keeps him from trying to escape. The pain in his shoulder overpowers the discomfort of his lips, drawing his attention there exclusively. When Blaine pulls away to breath, he relaxes his grip on Kurt's shoulder. He gives a shaky smile and trails his hand down Kurt's arm, taking Kurt's hand and drawing him up.

"Marry me?" Blaine's eyes are looking into Kurt's as if they are seeing something past the surface. Kurt does not understand what the human is asking, and he has a better grasp of the human language than most of his people.

"What about my robes?"

"I'm looking." There is hurt in Blaine's eyes but Kurt does not understand why. "But until I find them…please just say yes."

Kurt sees no harm in placating Blaine. "Yes."

Blaine's lips are on his again and he lets himself withdraw into his head and let Blaine do what he wants. The human walks him to his room, leaving him at the door with one last, painful meeting of lips. When Kurt can no longer hear footsteps, he allows himself to fall to the floor and keen softly, airing the grief that is too great to contain.


	3. Chapter 3

TRIGGER/WARNINGS(overall): Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

A/N: Huge thanks to _**lillybean queen of the i ocean **_for reviewing the last chapter. Knowing people read and like this gives me motivation to write quicker, and make me smile. Also, Max Adler spoilers do too. And because I'm so happy, I have decided to update before I go to bed tonight.

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><p>Chains Made of Love<p>

Chapter 3

Something changes in Blaine in the days following. He never lets Kurt out of his sight, and is no longer content to talk while Kurt listens. He tries to coax Kurt to talk as they walk hand in hand, Blaine always a half step ahead of Kurt. The pain is less when he talks, so Kurt gives in, answering the human's questions which all seem harmless. As days pass, their walks start to include places outside the gate.

It is their fifth outing when they return to the spot where Kurt lost his robe. Kurt runs into the water, sheding his constricting clothing on the way. He is so happy that he forgets, for a moment, his audience. Nothing matters but the sun on his skin and the water surrounding him, lapping gently from the waves he created. He could lie there forever, floating on his back with only the sounds of nature around him. He closes his eyes and lets his breathing sync with the movement of the water. Slowly. Slowing. Slower.

It is only when a second body disturbs the water that he remembers Blaine. The human has stripped and is wading towards him slowly. For a single moment, Kurt is struck by the beauty of the creature before him. His eyes linger on the curling black hair, droplets of water gleaming in the sun, on long fingers lightly skimming the surface of the water and creating ripples that make the surface dance.

"God, you're beautiful." And when he speaks he is all human, shattering the illusion. Kurt has no response, so he ducks under the water and kicks off on the bottom, propelling himself through the water gracefully. He has to come up for air eventually and the human is waiting, sitting on a rock watching him with a smile.

"I can see why you love this place," Blaine says. Kurt freezes, his face an impassive mask. He realizes this place is defiled. It was his safe haven away from the politics that have rocked his world since he was a young child. He knows that this is the last time he will come here. And that pain hurts almost as much as losing his robe, except this pain is centered in his chest and that pain consumes his whole body.

"I want to leave." Kurt walks out of the water, gathering his discarded clothes and pulling them on without hesitation. He cannot bear the sight of this place any longer. All he sees now is the trampled plants from human feet, dying even as they struggle to right themselves.

"Did I do something?" He hears the human run after him, but he does not slow. His feet propel him forwards and he doesn't even realize when he breaks into a run. His human feet are good for something, and the wonders why he has never tried this before. He runs until his feet are bleeding, and then pushes harder. When he stops, it's because he can't force air into his lungs and he collapses to the ground in a heap.

"Please, Kurt. What's wrong?" Blaine is barely winded, kneeling beside him. Kurt gasps, drawing in breath after breath and struggling to stay conscious. He wants to get up and run again, as if physical distance will erase the pain.

"It hurts." He says through strangled sobs. He lets the human hold him, willing himself to imagine himself being held by someone he cares about. When he can breathe again, he pulls away and tries to assess the situation. His face is wet, the source coming from his eyes.

"What is this?" He asks, catching the water on his fingers and holding it up to be examined.

"Those are tears. You were crying." Blaine captures Kurt's hand in his and presses his lips to the wetness. Kurt just feels empty, so empty. The physical pain can no longer touch him so he doesn't even pretend to pull away from Blaine. "Why are you sad?"

"I need my robe." Kurt says. The words are heavy on his tongue and an utter bone-deep weariness is setting on him, crushing him and making it difficult to keep his eyes open. "Please. Please give it back to me. I know you have it."

"Kurt – "Blaine opens his mouth and Kurt knows he is going to lie again. It is in the way his shoulder tightens and his nose wrinkles. Before Blaine can say anything, Kurt's world sways and darkens at the edges. He struggles to hold on, but he can't. Everything goes black, even the pain vanishes.

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	4. Chapter 4

TRIGGER/WARNINGS(overall): Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

A/N: Once again, I'd like to thanks _**lillybean queen of the i ocean **_for reviewing the last chapter. Just a short one tonight. Tomorrow's will be longer. Also, this is going to be more than five parts. No more than ten, though. You'll know when it's over.

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><p>Chains Made of Love<p>

Part 4

For the brief moment where he is suspended between sleep and consciousness, he can convince himself that he is home. But then he feels a rough hand on his brow and his eyes open to see brown ones looking back. "Welcome back, love."

Kurt blinks, turning his head gently to the side. He is in the room he was given, and he feels something inside his chest die. He turns to look up at Blaine who responds with a smile. Kurt lies there as Blaine's hand slides down his face to cup his cheek. The pain is gone, but he can't even muster up the energy to be glad about that.

"How do you feel?" Blaine's weight shifts and Kurt feels himself being lifted up so he's sitting. His head is resting on the human's chest and he hears the thump-thump of a heart. He counts the beats in his head, oblivious to the human's words until he feels a breath against his ear. "Talk to me, Kurt."

"I want to go home," Kurt says softly. It is too much effort to project his voice. Blaine's arms close around him, drawing him closer. Kurt can smell nothing but the human; a spicy mix of cinnamon and sweat.

"You are home, love." Blaine's lips are still against his ear and Kurt wants to cringe away from the contact but doesn't. "This is your home now. You can be happy here. We're going to be married and you'll never want anything again. We'll have children who will love you, and one day, when I'm the King, you'll be there by my side."

Blaine speaks with such fondness Kurt tries to imagine it. It's far too easy to believe in that vision. Kurt, trapped forever by the side of the man who ripped him in two. Kurt, never again to see his people, never to feel the water and wind ruffle his feathers when he's in his true form. Kurt, forever a human with this horrible, awkward body. If he wasn't so tired he would cry, but instead he clenches his hand in the fabric of the shirt the human is wearing.

"We leave tomorrow for the Capital, and the wedding will be in a month. You're going to love the Palace. It's twice the size of this one, and made of white marble." Blaine continues talking and Kurt let's the words drift over him, a cadence that was once painful but has now become familiar. Eventually he drifts off to sleep where he dreams he's a swan and there are chains around his wings. 3


	5. Chapter 5

TRIGGER/WARNINGS(overall): Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

**TRIGGER/WARNINGS (THIS CHAPTER): Rape/Non-Con**

A/N: Thanks go to _**lillybean queen of the i ocean** _and _**Holly**__**-Anne Rivers **_for reviewing the last chapter.

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><p>Chains Made of Love<p>

Part 5

Despite its size, Kurt couldn't think of the palace as anything other than a prison. His movements were shadowed by a human in metal, eyes hidden in darkness, even when Blaine was with him. He doesn't have much time to explore, even if he wanted to, because his room is occupied with humans talking at him about the wedding.

The day of the wedding is beautiful, and everyone tells Kurt he is too. They have him dressed in all white, assuring him he looks like an angel. He doesn't know what an angel is, but he doesn't want to so he lets them talk at him and dress him until it's time for him to be led outside.

Blaine is waiting under an arch of gold and silver metal that gleams in the sun. The walk down the aisle is long, and all the humans gathered are looking at Kurt. He shrinks from their gazes, but is propelled forward by the people behind him.

His feet feel heavy, dragging him down with each step. The look on Blaine's face is too much, so Kurt adjusts his gaze to rest on the arch. He watches how the shifting sun changes the pattern of reflection, dancing across his vision and giving the impression of being under water. It's soothing, calming his racing heart and giving him the will to put one foot in front of the other.

The ceremony is quick. Kurt repeats words spoken by a man dressed in green and white. He lets Blaine take his hand, willing himself the strength to not run as he wants to do. Every ounce of his being is urging him to run, even as he ties himself to the man before him. When the words are said, Blaine leans over and presses their lips together, an act that Kurt has come to accept.

"I love you." Blaine says the words like they're special. Kurt doesn't say them back, but over the clapping no one knows that except Blaine. The human's eyes darken as he wraps an arm around Kurt and draws him close, making the applause renew.

Kurt doesn't know what he expects to happen, but being led to Blaine's room isn't it. He shuts down when Blaine starts undressing him, peeling off layers until Kurt is wearing nothing at all, and then taking off his own clothes. And then the touching starts and Kurt withdraws even further.

Blaine's fingers are like white hot irons on his skin, tracing patterns down his chest. When his lips follow, leaving a trail of saliva, Kurt tries to fight. He pulls away, using all his strength to get Blaine off him, but the human is stronger and Kurt doesn't stand a chance. One of Blaine's hands grab both of Kurt's and holds them above his head while continuing his ministrations.

Kurt gives up his struggle when it becomes clear that Blaine isn't going to stop. He stops resisting and let his body respond while shutting his mind off. It's an odd feeling of disconnect, something he has never done before, but it works.

When he comes back, aching and sticky and hurting so badly that he wants to curl up and cry, he has no memory of what happened except in the echoes of his human body. Blaine is lying beside him, one arm tossed over Kurt's stomach, holding him in place. Kurt takes a deep breath and tries to disconnect again as the human wakes and presses their lips together.

4


	6. Chapter 6

TRIGGER/WARNINGS(overall): Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

**TRIGGER/WARNINGS (THIS CHAPTER): Rape/Non-Con  
><strong>

A/N: Thanks go to _**lillybean queen of the i ocean,**_ _**Holly**__**-Anne Rivers** _and** thegirlformerlyknownasB **for reviewing the previous chapter. I've got a lot of stories going on, and the sad truth is I'm going to be updating the ones I know people are reading quicker than the others. That's not to say I won't be updating at all, but there will be longer delays between updates.

**Also, this chapter contains mpreg. I had not intended on going this route in the story, but it happened so I can only apologize for not letting you guys know before you started reading. **

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><p>Chains Made of Love<p>

Part 6

Time passes in chunks for Kurt. He blinks and a week is gone. Blinks again and he's missed a month. His mind has no memory of the missing days, but his used body offers a plethora of clues. There are hand shaped bruises on his hips, fingernail scrapes down his back, purple bruises on his neck.

Pain ceases to be anything but a word. He becomes accustomed to the heavy human body, allowing himself to forget the feel of hallow bones and wind in feathers. Freedom was something of the past, though the chains he wears are invisible to the human eye.

He allows one year to pass that way, submerged in his suffering. The human tries to draw him out, but Kurt refuses to give more of himself than necessary and eventually Blaine accepts that. It isn't until Kurt wakes one morning in a cold sweat with the feeling of life fluttering under his breast that he determines to wear his chains with dignity.

He decides not to tell Blaine about the child until his body betrays his secret. He prays he can escape before the birth and spare his child any knowledge of his human father. His people will never accept the child simply because he is one half human, but in his time among humans he has met some who, while not like his own people, are kind. He will find one of those to raise this child.

Kurt's return to life does not go unnoticed by Blaine, though Blaine does not question it. Kurt is granted the freedom to roam the countryside as he wishes so long as he returns before night fall. He cannot return to his lake, but he finds a clearing that humans have not touched and closes his eyes and pretends he is safe.

"I'm so sorry," He says, resting one hand on the slight bulge in his stomach. A surge of protections accompanies that action and he curls in on himself. He apologizes for letting himself be caught, for letting this child, his first, be half of a person who captured him. He apologizes for what he hasn't don't yet, for abandoning the child to be raised by humans.

He tries to form other words. He wants to tell the child about the other half of his heritage, but he finds no words to explain and ends up sitting in silence, an apology slipping past his lips every so often, followed by a gentle sob.

He is never late in returning, and the human is always there to greet him with a kiss on the lips. Whenever Blaine's hand rests near his stomach, he is worried his secret will be exposed. And yet Blaine never guesses, never feels the steady thrum that is his child growing in Kurt's body.

It is months before Kurt must reveal his secret. He knows he can no longer hide the changes the child is creating on his body, and he resolves to confess the next time Blaine comes to his bed. But that night, the orders come for Blaine to report to his father to lead an army against the neighboring kingdom. He tells Kurt the news with tears in his eyes, his hand cupping the side of Kurt's face and tracing circles with his thumb.

"I will miss you, darling," He says, a single tear falling from where it has pooled in the corner of his eye. "Will you miss me?"

Kurt cannot speak without lying so he presses his lips to Blaine's and hopes that action conveys what Blaine wants to hear. He seems satisfied as he pulls away, gaze lingering on Kurt as if memorizing him and Kurt pulls the blanket around his shoulder to hide his body from the human. As the door closes behind Blaine, Kurt feels a weight lift from his shoulders. A weight that after so long has become second nature to bear. For the first time in two years, he begins to believe he may yet find his way home.


	7. Chapter 7

TRIGGER/WARNINGS(overall): Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

**TRIGGER/WARNINGS (THIS CHAPTER): none  
><strong>

A/N: Thanks go to _**lillybean queen of the i ocean,**_ _**Holly**__**-Anne Rivers, **_**thegirlformerlyknownasB **and **Doni **for reviewing the previous chapter.

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><p>Chains Made of Love<p>

Part 7

Kurt can do nothing until the child is born. He fears to even leave his chambers for fear of someone discovering his secret and telling Blaine, and not even the loosest clothes he owns can cover the change in his body. No one asks why he has decided to lock himself away, but a maid comes three times a day to clean and bring him food.

He hides from her, watching her from adjoining rooms while she does her job. His first instinct is that she is one of his people with her pale skin and delicate features, but her voice is human and there is a weariness in her eyes and in the tightening of her mouth that speak of a life spent among mortals. She sings while she cleans her voice high and clear. It is the most beautiful a human has ever sounded.

His voice is rough from neglect as he joins her. She startles but when he doesn't stop, she joined in again. They do that for days, singing on opposite sides of doors. There is a give and take in their singing, an exposure of their souls and an exchange of trust.

The child will need someone to keep it safe, and Kurt has few options. On the fourth day of the third week, he is sitting in the entrance room as she walks in. He has his knees drawn up, protecting his stomach. Grey-green eyes watch the human as she stands in the door way. Slowly, he uncurls his body. He watches the shock register on her face before it's replaced with that mask she has worn since he's known her.

"My grandmother told me stories," She whispers, voice cracking in a way that is all human. His eyes follow her as she walks towards him. She moves like someone who used to be proud, but is now too tired to care. He wants to pity her, but he does not let himself. "Does the prince know?"

"No," Kurt's voice is sharp and the girl recoils. He forces his expression to soften. One of his hands settle on his stomach and he cocks his head at her to indicate she can come closer. Her steps are more hesitant now and he regrets his outburst. He doesn't know how to interact with humans.

"I'm sorry. I won't tell anyone." He does not trust her, no matter how gentle her tone. She is a human, and the only thing Kurt knows is that humans are evil.

"Who are you?" He asks. She sits down in a chair beside him but makes no move to touch him.

"Quinn Fabray." Her name is pretty and he lets it wash over him in waves. Beauty is so rare in this human prison, and he will savor every ounce of it he can. She fidgets and he forces himself to come back to the present.

"I need your help, Quinn," He says. He uses her name and her eyes widen momentarily and he knows his first guess is correct. She is his kin, however distant. He tells her and she closes her eyes, breathing suddenly labored. Hesitantly, he reaches out a hand and places it over hers. She flinches but doesn't recoil.

"I thought she was crazy." Tears fall from her eyes and he lifts his hand to catch it. Her lashes flutter and she steadies her breathing. "When my grandmother told me, I told her she was crazy and never spoke to her again."

"I'm sorry," He says, unsure of what he can do. "I need your help."

"Anything." He closes his eyes and rests one hand on his stomach, feeling the flutter of life responding to his touch. Words have never been so hard to find, but he forces them from his lips.

When he finishes there's wetness on his face. When Quinn reaches out to wipe it away, her touch is cool. Her expression is resolved. "I'll do it."


	8. Chapter 8

She is the most beautiful creature he has ever seen. She has his eyes, greens and blues and grey's swirling together as she blinks up at him. Kurt's arms cradle her against his body and he dips his head low, breathing her in as if it will make the moment last forever. She is warm and solid against his skin, fitting against him as if completing him.

"I am so sorry, love," He says, whispering the words into the light dusting of hair, as fair as a summer breeze, on the top of her head. "You did nothing to deserve this."

She coos up at him, slender fingers reaching up and grasping at the air. He smiles sadly down at her and places a finger in her grip. Her lips open and close, soundless in her own world. He wants to curl over her, keep her there forever. Keep her safe from the pain that will find her living in this world of humans.

"You should have been born in our homeland with my mate watching over. We would have spent the months leading to your birth making your robe. At your birth, there would have been a huge celebration welcoming new life. All of our people would come to see you, bringing gifts.

"I would be there as you grow, helping you learn our people. I would be with you at your first steps, your first word. I would go with you on your first slight. And when you were grown and found a mate of your own, I would help you find a nest of your own but our lives would always touch."

He goes silent, ignoring the human who has walked in, standing just inside the door. In this moment, all he has is his daughter. She is the only thing his world consists of, this single point of light kept close to his heart.

He opens and closes his mouth several times, unable to find words. Instead, he sings to her. It's the lullaby his mother sang, the one he was singing when he got caught. His voice is not what it should be, but he ignores the imperfections as his daughter's eyes blink sleepily and her movements still into sleep.

"Oh, Kurt," Quinn finally speaks. He looks at her now and sees unbearable compassion in her eyes. He bows hie head and tries to blink away tears. When he looks up again, she is sitting beside him, not touching him but projecting comfort that he needs so desperately.

"What's her name?" Quinn asks. Kurt traces his finger down the side of her face, memorizing each dip and plane.

"Call her Beth," he whispers. He will keep her soul name safe even from the human he trusts with her life. It echo's in his mind, reverberating in her every movement. It's the sound of rain on the grass, unpronounceable in its full with his human lips.

"I'll keep her safe for you," the human says, unaware of his deception. "Any time you want to see her…"

"No," Kurt shakes his head. He lifts his child and places her in Quinn's waiting arms. The child doesn't stir as Quinn holds her tight. They look like mother and daughter, both with fey faces and blonde hair. He hardens his heart but knows he made the right choice. "I will never see her again. I cannot survive losing her again. Take care of her." He closes his eyes, tracking their movement only by the sound of Quinn's footsteps and the fragile bond, fraying with distance, of his beloved daughter.


	9. Chapter 9

TRIGGER/WARNINGS(overall): Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

**TRIGGER/WARNINGS (THIS CHAPTER): none**

A/N: Thanks go to _**lillybean queen of the i ocean,**_ and **Doni **for reviewing the previous chapter.

Life did indeed get me, but I am (tentatively) back. Some stories are being abandoned. Some are going to be finished. This one will be finished.

Now, I'm doing something I hadn't planned on and introducing another character. I've left his identity ambiguous on purpose, so imagine it being anyone you want (Dave, Puck, Sam, etc). There will be NO (requited) romance developing between this man and Kurt, though he is going to be a major player for a while. If you guys prefer me to give him a name, let me know who you want it to be (or just let me know anyway, because I'm curious!).

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><p>Kurt searches the castle in vain for his robe, but can find no trace of it. His activities do not go unnoticed, and soon he is forced to abandon his quest when a guard takes permanent residence in the halls. Kurt watches him warily at first, aware how tenuous his protection is with Blaine gone. The humans do not like him, as if they suspect he is not one of them. His attempts at communicating are stilted and without Quinn around he grows lonely.<p>

When he can no longer bear the ache of being locked indoors, he braves the wrath of the guard by walking out. As usual, no one stops him but a guard does follow at a distance. Kurt tries everything in his power to escape the guard, but the man is persistent and Kurt is still weakened from giving birth. At last he heads to the clearing and sits on the grass, wishing he could shed his clothing but knowing it would not be prudent with the signs of his pregnancy still etched on his body.

He looks over at the guard, eyes narrowing as he searches for some sign of malevolent intent. There is nothing apparent in the back of the head visible to him, the human facing away from him. The day is beautiful, all soft sunlight and gentle birdsong and Kurt has been so long without the beauty of nature that he cannot help himself from singing along. The birds stop for a moment but then renew their song and Kurt can't help but keep that glimmer of hope that maybe, even if he never finds his robe, he could stay here forever and maybe he would still be close to his old self.

"Sir, uh…it's getting dark soon," the guard says, human voice grating but Kurt recognizes the apologetic tone. When he opens his eyes he realizes he has been sitting all day, sometimes singing and sometimes just sitting listening and pretending he can fly if he just wishes hard enough.

Kurt rises in a fluid motion, unsteady on his feet after so long on the ground. It feels as if a thousand needles are stabbing into him and he bites his lip in pain and wavers. Before he can fall, the guard lunges forward and catches him, holding him gently and it's the first time human touch doesn't hurt. As soon as the pain is gone, Kurt pulls away and the guard lets him go without protest.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't like to be touched by anyone but Prince Blaine but I thought you were going to fall." Kurt looks at the man, regarding him curiously. It's the first time since Quinn or Blaine that anyone spoke to him and he isn't sure how to reply. In the end, he settles for a slight turning up of the lips – smile, he knows it's called – and a nod before he speaks.

"Thank you." His voice is a whisper but the man hears because he smiles in return before falling in to step beside Kurt, metal armor clinking and hurting Kurt's ears. He winces and the man notices because he does that thing with his face scrunching around the mouth and eyes and apologizes again.

"Must you wear the metal?" Kurt asks, hoping his tone does not come across as harsh. He has seen Blaine shout at the guards, but Kurt does not intend his comment to be mean. It surprises him the lack of malice he feels towards this man.

"I can switch to leather armor if you prefer, though I will not be able to guard you as well." Only once had Kurt seen bandits attack his guards, but they were easily overcome. His guard is bigger than those, broader across the chest and taller than Kurt himself. He cannot imagine anyone overpowering this man. "Perhaps if you stay closer to the palace…"

Kurt is not happy with the compromise, but he agrees. It will be nice to not hear the terrible clunking with each step. He isn't sure why, but he thinks this man may be someone he can trust. That thought alone terrifies him and he draws back into himself, ignoring any attempt the guard makes to speak to him. When they get back to the palace, he locks himself away and refuses to see anyone.


	10. Chapter 10

TRIGGER/WARNINGS(overall): Rape/non-con, abduction, physical and emotional abuse.

**TRIGGER/WARNINGS (THIS CHAPTER): none**

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><p>Even without the metal armor, the guard is incapable of moving quietly. Kurt grits his teeth and does his best to ignore it. He resents the man for his good nature and the way he caves in to Kurt's every demand as if he knows Kurt is a prince and he is a human unworthy to even set eyes on him. But even while anger simmers under Kurt's every movement, he is grateful too and that feeling just feeds the anger.<p>

After that first time out, the human doesn't speak at all, but Kurt sees the questions in his eyes. Sometimes he thinks about breaking the silence first, but the quasi-silence is the first measure of peace Kurt has had since his capture. And they do communicate, a conversation carried out entirely without words. Kurt learns that a tilt of a head means the man heard something and that he requires silence to determine if it's a threat or not. A quirk of the lips indicates amusement at Kurt or himself or something Kurt didn't see. Even when it seems he isn't paying attention, Kurt catches small movements that tell him the closed eyes are a ruse and that he will spring up at the slightest hint of danger.

At first Kurt thinks the conversation is one sided. Then he realizes that his body language is being read just as clearly. The guard backs off when Kurt squares his shoulders. He follows Kurt's gaze when draws himself up and pauses. When Kurt sighs, he inclines his head in silent question that Kurt never answers.

But the number one rule is that they never touch and the guard never questions why, for which Kurt is grateful. Two weeks pass and he feels more himself than he has in years. The sun no longer burns his skin and the wind doesn't chafe. At the same time, his bones ache and when his eyes are closed he almost feels his wings being curled against his body trying desperately to unfurl.

He's found a new clearing, this one closer to the palace. The guard found it, actually. Kurt saw the worry in his eyes as they neared the edge of the imposed restriction and he nearly growled in his frustration but the guard turned in to the forest and Kurt followed. A few minutes later they came into a small grove, an almost perfect circle with a single tree in the center. Since then they head there every day in the morning and spend several hours sitting in the sun and communicating in a way that makes Kurt's soul soar.

"You know what I am." Kurt doesn't phrase it as a question because there isn't one in his mind. He sees the looks the guard gives him sometimes, as if he's something fragile and foreign. His eyes are on the man and he sees the shock at being addressed and then watches the man swallow before answering.

"People said you bewitched the prince," he answers. Kurt never heard that before, but he doesn't talk to anyone.

"You agree with them." Kurt stands poised, feeling his body ready to take off and he knew the guard saw that but he makes no move to go forward.

"I did, but I don't anymore." The man's breath is harsh and the words are spoken like an apology, tumbling one after another in a strange staccato that should make his ears hurt but surprisingly didn't. "You seem unhappy, but I don't understand why. Do you miss the prince?"

Kurt sits on the ground, legs crumpling in a way that looks graceful when he does it but would make anyone else look awkward. He draws his legs up to his chest, resting his back against the tree. He's in the center of the clearing and the guard is on the edge, eyes following Kurt's movements in a way that worried him at first but now just makes him feel safe. He opens his mouth and closes it, considering the consequence of confessing. "I won't tell anyone."

The guard moves closer, slowly. Kurt resists the urge to run but holds his breath until the man stops several feet away and crouches down. He's reading Kurt and suddenly Kurt feels like he is an open book in a way he never has been before. Even his own people couldn't read him the way this man can; this nondescript human whose eyes penetrate Kurt's every defense and strip them away until he's exposed.

"I hate him," Kurt hisses, anger rising in his throat and escaping through his words and the contortion of his face. The man looks shocked and he glances over his shoulder but they are alone and when he looks at Kurt again there is no judgment, just curiosity. The fury is all consuming but it burns up quickly and Kurt is just tired at the end. He slumps, and though the guard moves forward out of instinct he stops himself before they touch and Kurt is thankful because any touch would be too much. They stay like that – Kurt sobbing soundlessly and the man watching over him – until the daylight slips away.


End file.
